As soon as I saw the pistons and the video length was under 40 minutes, I knew this one was a multi-episode rescue. I'll have my popcorn ready for part 2 (and 3, and 4, and 5...)
I once commented to a mechanic friend who was working on my car, that vehicle mechanics seems to be mostly hitting things with a hammer. He looked at me and replied "It is. The skill is knowing where to hit, and how hard"
I grew up on this bike in NJ , now it sits in my cousins garage waiting for this guy to take it home to do what he does best. Get it out of the shed and BACK on the road!! You are lucky it is that clean. The bike I rode in the 60's 70's is just a big piece of corrosion now.
I’ve not owned a motorcycle for over 30 years and watching your channel gave me the inspiration to go and purchase an amazing 1986 Honda XL350R. It’s given me something to tinker with and enjoy now so Thankyou so much 👍👍👍
A lone bearded man stands at the center of the coliseum. The unruly mob of spectators chants, wildly: "HEAT AND BEAT! HEAT AND BEAT! HEAT AND BEAT! HEAT AND BEAT!" The man, sensing his moment, raises his arms to the heavens. In one hand, a hammer. In the other, a propane torch. The crowd erupts in cheers. Their champion has come.
I rode an A-7 to high school in the late 70's. Great bikes. Bullet proof and simple to maintain AS LONG AS the oil system is properly working and you don't premix AND you own JIS screw drivers.
So true. My '68 Avenger was my most reliable 'companion' for five years. The friend I sold it to promptly seized the engine by running it without 2-stroke oil !
what a lovely bike, gorgeous color, i am nearly 60 and used to own lots of 2 strokes from the 70's, but i had never even heard of this type of carburettor set up before. you really do learn something every day. Thanks and keep up the great content.
Craig: When you've got something siezed, try heating the outside as you did. Then, get a can of lighter-filler Butane. It'll freeze and shrink the piston, maybe enough to break it free. My brother had a spark plug siezed in the head of his Chrysler and the Easy Out hadn't worked. There was not much but threads left, and the ceramic was inside the cylinder. We heated the head, then used the butane to shrink what was left of the plug, and it turned out with no problem. I used the method a few times since, and it works. Never used it on a stuck piston, but I will the next time. Good luck! By the way, you and Dan make a great team. Hope your fingers heal soon!
Me and my family watch your channel religiously. The content keeps us glued to the screen and the humour and banter you and Dan bring never fails to put a smile on the wife's face. Keep up the good work guys. Sending our upmost love and support from the United Kingdom. #Everybody needs a craig 😊
His in video ads are the only ones I don't skip. He puts a decent amount of effort into them, makes them interesting, and some are pretty funny/amusing!
@georgiavol1602 totally, the transitions are smooth sometimes, I don't even realize I have watched an ad until I see the discount code come up on screen! And he never shouts or makes the volume so loud. Doesn't beg for likes or subscribes either. 99% of the time, no matter how much I like a video, if they ask me to subscribe, I'll close the video.
I almost can't believe it. This was me about 40 years ago trying to get a Samurai running running. It helped to have someone with a breaker bar on a spanner on the crankshaft while using the block-and-hammer technique, rather than have them stand around looking through a camera ! Got the bike running and liked it so much that I managed to get myself a Kawasaki Avenger, and then graduated to a brand-new H1A mach III ! Great memories ! Thanks !
Since it's a two stroke the main bearing and seal are shot so the motor will need opening. Since it's a two stroke opening the motor is common and not a very big deal.
When i was younger (15 to 17)i use to work at a junk yard in P.a and i would take all the motorcycles to the point of having over 150 bikes in my back yard. i use to keep a 55 gallon drum filled half way of diesel and when ever i would get a bike with a frozen engine i would pull the engine and stick in the drum for a week. %90 of the time it would work.
Diesel and white gas/kerosene are great for cleaning chains, too. After soaking/agitating the chain until clean, I spray chain lube between the links (non o-ring) and put it in the sun or a warm oven to let the lube wick in. O-ring chains rob at least 1 HP, and aren't as cost effective as simply replacing conventional type when they wear.
I have been a jet engine mechanic in the service, I have scratch built more engines and changed many more than I care to think about, I am retired and the "hoods" mechanic/electrician, I am currently the Fire Chief of an entire fire department (volunteer), the only person with diesel engine repair experience, well you get the idea. BUT of all the things that you do on this station is smash fingers, walk into cabinets, drop hammers you your feet, and my all time favorite is the 2x4 with the 5 pound sledge. You make me seem so normal after 71 years - I thought only these things happen to me. OH and by the way I am 1 up on you ....9 years ago I managed to cut of 3 fingers from the last knuckle down to tip. It has not stopped me any more than it would you guys. Thanks for the video(s) and reminding me I am really normal compared to what my wife says. Have a great Memorial Weekend
i learn something new everyday.never seen one of those before.never been much for 2 strokes.but respect what they can do when they run right.like the 3 cylinder 750's.when their right.they fly.
I came home from college the summer of 79 to work. Ended up buying a basket case '68 A7-SS, the Kawasaki 350 Avenger SS. Ended up being a lot of evenings, even with a good manual. Needed new clutch springs, managed to get them barely adjusted to just shift & kick over (slipped some both ways!). Really screamed, dug trenches with the front wheel off the ground, in 2nd & 3rd gear, even with the clutch slipping bad... Buddy offered to store it for the winter while I was back to school... Ended up being missing the next spring... Sure wish I still had that one!
Dan is the man! He freaking cracks me up. His little comments (the samurai will get ya, Greg, you're trippin) get me all the time. But, I must say his impressions of 1970' late night samurai B class movie sounds. Priceless!
Watching you beat the bejeebus out of those pistons, couldn't help but think of the Classic Octane video where he was doing the same thing to a seized Triumph (?) engine - punched a hole right through the piston crown. I don't think he was too bothered as he had a replacement engine, I think. Love the humour in your videos. Craig and Dan are the new Abbot and Costello :).
This happened to me on a twin 2 stroke once. What really helps is lifting the front wheel as much as you can so the penetrating fluid is distributed evenly across the front and back of the piston. What might have been happening with the Kawasaki is the penetrating fluid gathers towards the front, but the seizure might have been towards the rear of the piston. Hope this tip helps 😊
I know by the time you see this you will already have the stuck pistons fixed but what I used to do was take the head off and I made a plate that I could run a bolt through and press the piston down that way. It's a constant pressure and a slow steady.
Wow! I used to own the same bike, but 350, in 1969! It was a 68 by the way! Fast and fun! .So cool to see one again. Becoming rare these days. That bike should be out and running, not hidden away!
crazy how well craig has nailed the formula here, guy who loves what he's doing, is good at his craft, he's consistently entertaining, and most importantly he seems like a genuinely nice and super knowledgeable guy. this kind of content is what youtube needs more of
The very same '67 Samurai depicted here was the one I told my dad I would be bringing home in December '68. The price was AUD$725. I'd just finished high school and was preparing to use the bike for college commuting. I finished up with the Avenger A7 because, in nervous deference to my father, "It was only $45 dollars more expensive." Those were great stroking days - I'm 74. Thanks for the revival; memories always shine
I had an R5 (predecessor to the RD350) with frozen pistons similar to this Triumph. one was extra stuck, and it took my brother and I about 1/2 hour of solid hammering to free it. the piston came out in one piece but was completely mushroomed on the top. our arms were sore the next day.
@@Keith-rk4td my bad, yeah I don't what I was smoking when I wrote that. as one of the guys used to say "get off the crack". my friend recently bought a Triumph so must've had that stuck in my head.
Neat bike. I had a '64 Yamaha 250 pre oil injection. Smoked like crazy but that sound.....wuaaaaahhhh, wuaaaaaaha as shifted through the gears was awsome.
I saw the title and thought "Yes! A Kawasaki rotary valve!" I currently own an F7 which isn't running and a KE100 which runs and rides. Small but reliable! Cool bike, Craig!
@Chocolate_dragon mine is a 95 too. Bought it as a "mostly there" project with a title. I had previously bought a basket case that there was no way to complete so it worked out. Sorry you had to sell yours. Plenty of them are still out there if you ever want to get another one.
I love seeing this kind of stuff and learning about different classic bikes. Since I'm restoring a 64 Honda dream I like seeing how different other bikes are and applying some of the stuff I learn from watching you guys and it does work.
FYI, your Vessel screwdriver isn’t JIS, it’s ISO 8764-1/DIN 5260, which is designed to fit both Phillips and JIS. JIS B 4633 is what you’re looking for, and the only one I’ve found is Sunflag. I went down this rabbit hole when my Vessel screwdrivers were still stripping screw heads and I wanted to know why.
My new scooter has JIS screws on air cleaner box. It had me confounded for few days when my trusty screwdriver just would not work and started to strip the screws. Thankfully something made me stop and google about this. Turned out I needed another set of screwdrivers. Got that and things worked like a charm!
JIS B 4633 is a defunct standard, there isn't a JIS screw at this point since it was superseded by ISO 8764 so no new drivers are actually JIS, ISO 8764 was heavily influenced by the JIS standard which is reflected in how it's almost the same specification. That's why companies like Vessel and Sunflag don't claim to make JIS anymore and instead just list "Fits JIS". Also for what it's worth, Vessel was involved with the origin of the JIS screw and were the first manufacturer of JIS drivers.
Thankd for turning mre on to the Fanttik tire inflator, Greg. I ended up buying one based on this video and i love it. Not a lot of room in my life for a full size air crompessor but this will do what i need.
Yuppers, great back and forth banter for the win! Best sit-com-bike-rescue show ever! Seriously, this was absolute gold! Hammers for everyone! Oh, and I learned a ton about an amazing old bike! Go Craig and Dan, and Greg, keep moving forward!
Hi Greg I was wondering could you give me some edvice on what to do to get my 1984 Kawasaki kd80 running properly because I get it running but then I give it gas and it dies in me so what do I do?
Your determination is beyond reproach, well done for "hanging in there" - hard to criticise a video like this - well done, cannot wait to hear her running.
I died as "dan got hit with a hammer he is going outside" because I got interrupted at that and missed it. it legit felt like you knew i just got back and was filling me in. Had me rolling.
I still have the impact driver I bought to work on a Samurai just a couple of weeks ago when I was 40 years younger, then again I may have been 50 years younger. It went that well it frightened me. The fellow I sold it too, lent it to a mate of his; who lost both legs on it...
I love the channel. I just hate that I spend 20 or 30 minutes watching a will it run video and don’t even find out. I just wish you would wait and put a full conclusion on the videos. They are a number of videos that has no conclusion yet.
Guy I knew who rebuild really old engines gave me a great tip for getting seized pistons moving, fill it up with really hot vegetable oil. The combination of the heat and oil is usually enough to get things moving.
Nice one, Craig. I really appreciate your integrity, putting the continued survival of a genuine rare old survivor over cheap likes. I really like the way the channel is maturing. Would love to meet one day, maybe next time I'm in the US.
That's a cool looking bike Craig. I can imagine how awesome that bike looked when it was brand new sitting at the dealers, fresh off the boat. The tank with that cool emblem is the focal point and it's in really good condition. Usually bikes that old are missing at least one emblem and knee pad. Kawasaki should go retro and start using the old emblems on their new bikes... I'm 62 years old and I still remember a lot of the older bikes, but I don't remember ever seeing one of those, not even in a magazine. It's funny that Kawasaki used the name Samurai way back then, and years later Suzuki used it for those little cracker box car things that they made.
Thanks for the video.... Quite inspiring... Its an amazing coincidence. My motorcycle was sitting outside for 5 years in all weather conditions. I think the moisture got in through the ports and rust caught up the cylinder wall and seized the piston. I am also going through the same ordeal.... Piston seizure with my Yamaha 2 stroke. I tried pouring different concotions from diesel oil, 2T engine oil, castor oil, coconut oil, vinegar to large amounts of WD-40, which I am still spraying. Only, I have'nt tried the blow torch as it could flame up due to the concotions sitting inside. I am still trying with a wooden block and mallet. I'm hoping to see the piston move without breaking it. Looking forward to your sequel. Good Luck ! 👍😊
Can you give us a tool roll tour ,always end up forgetting a tool on the road and you always have it all figured out , you 2 are the best entertainment ever
I have eight Yamaha two strokes plated and in service ranging from a '67 YCS1 180 Bonanza to a bought new RZ 350 and DT50/LC with a 2nd 50 bought used. Building a spare RD 6 speed with a 5 port 350 R5 top end to swap into an R5 I've had since high school in mid seventies. Also doing a spare RD400 motor with pistons/jugs lying around. That one will get new seals.
Love the wood block and the big hammer, can't tell you how many times....... Rotary valve engine, super simple and super easy to hot rod. You can make scary power by adjusting the timing and duration.
I have one of those little compressor and I used it to air up after getting off the beach last weekend and I would like to warn people to let the hose cool down before you disconnect it. I still got blisters on my fingers.
Hi had a a1in 74,started to restore engine to a1/r specifications 250 road race, never finished it bugger, fantastic bike when it was running, great work mate cheers 🍻
Awesome bike! I wonder if the crude oil on the rotary valves or bottom end have gummed it up? I've fixed up old rc nitro motors from the 80s and the oil will solidify over time and lock up the engine like this. The cylinders jumped up while you were hammering so we know they're somewhat loose. I'd try and heat the bottom end too, I'm not sure if it'll damage the rotary valves to heat them with a torch but I'd put the heat in that area. The bubbling when you're heating it is also an indicator of old crude oil locking it up
Oh also when you showed the rotary valve close up you could see a drop of oil on the nozzle, so it could have been dripping oil on it for who knows how long, gumming it up even more. On rc engines wd40 helps eat away that gummy substance, new fuel helps too but if you're going to heat it up you should probably not do that 😂.
That little air compressor is a good product recommendation. That Kawasaki is a real find. Don't expect the power of the triples but they were good commuters. Getting electronic components might be a challenge but you know that.
Great find! This bike harkens back to a time when the Japanese were trying to copy British styling, before they just completely destroyed the entire British motorcycling industry. Well done on finding these old bikes and keeping them running! While new bikes out perform old ones by leaps and bounds, there’s just something about old bikes that’s appealing.
Jon you deserve the Milkwaukee! If Jess gets to go gallivanting when there's hard work to be done you're entitled to make sure your tools colour coordinate with the new whip 😊
I would have put that BIG breaker bar on the end of the crank and pulled on it while hammering with the sledge. Can't wait to see it freed and running. Great video.
Last & only time I popped the heads and cylinders off a seized two-stroke twin (a Suzuki GT500) , it was not good. With both heads off, I poked one of the pistons, the one piston moved, the other did not....sliding the one cylinder up & away...bits & pieces of 4/5 ths of the piston rained down...only 1/4 inch left of the piston top was in the barrel....the small end of the rod, "hook shaped".
I don't care how many projects you have going on. This channel is pure excellence!
It fantastic!!!
Absolutely 👍
Agreed
Facts
The only one I didn't like was the stupid temu sponsored one
Dan immediately hitting himself with the hammer was comedy gold.
omg it couldn't have been written any better !!
Literally second swing and bam 😂
Came here to say the exact same thing. Long time since i laughed so hard with a video
😂😂 He smashed his thumb so hard RIP Dan's thumb 🙏
it really was!
As soon as I saw the pistons and the video length was under 40 minutes, I knew this one was a multi-episode rescue. I'll have my popcorn ready for part 2 (and 3, and 4, and 5...)
100%🎉
Wake up samurai, we have a bike to rescue!
😂😂
A wild Samurai Jack appeared
@@andrewburley7651this it’s because of Cartoon Network 😢?
Oh Johnny!
Cyberpunk 2077 reference for people not getting this comment
I once commented to a mechanic friend who was working on my car, that vehicle mechanics seems to be mostly hitting things with a hammer. He looked at me and replied "It is. The skill is knowing where to hit, and how hard"
I grew up on this bike in NJ , now it sits in my cousins garage waiting for this guy to take it home to do what he does best. Get it out of the shed and BACK on the road!! You are lucky it is that clean. The bike I rode in the 60's 70's is just a big piece of corrosion now.
I’ve not owned a motorcycle for over 30 years and watching your channel gave me the inspiration to go and purchase an amazing 1986 Honda XL350R. It’s given me something to tinker with and enjoy now so Thankyou so much 👍👍👍
Buying a motorcycle in your 50s or 60s having not ridden a bike for over 30yrs. What could go wrong?
Same Same
@@BryBry2plynothing
Watching and listening to you work on bikes is therapeutic for me
Amen. I want to be like Craig when I work on projects
FACTS
That's part of why many of us are here
Me too. I'm in Japan, but all my tools are still in Canada. I live through Craig by watching him bust his knuckles.
Agreed
A lone bearded man stands at the center of the coliseum. The unruly mob of spectators chants, wildly: "HEAT AND BEAT! HEAT AND BEAT! HEAT AND BEAT! HEAT AND BEAT!"
The man, sensing his moment, raises his arms to the heavens. In one hand, a hammer. In the other, a propane torch.
The crowd erupts in cheers. Their champion has come.
Yeh, just heat it up. good to go.
HAHA, it's like Thunder Dome all over again.
@@lancenorton1117 two thumbs enter, one thumb leaves!
"This thing is heavy for how light it is." Yogi Berra couldn't have said it better!
Did you mean to type bear?
@@JesseNightingale Nope. Yogi Berra. No. 8, New York Yankees.
@@Fezzler61 Probably a millennial.
The future ain’t what it used to be.
@@cjhickspe1399 I don't live in New York and I dont like sports so yeah Idont know who that person is lol
I rode an A-7 to high school in the late 70's. Great bikes. Bullet proof and simple to maintain AS LONG AS the oil system is properly working and you don't premix AND you own JIS screw drivers.
So true. My '68 Avenger was my most reliable 'companion' for five years. The friend I sold it to promptly seized the engine by running it without 2-stroke oil !
what a lovely bike, gorgeous color, i am nearly 60 and used to own lots of 2 strokes from the 70's, but i had never even heard of this type of carburettor set up before. you really do learn something every day. Thanks and keep up the great content.
My Yamaha FS1 moped had the same system, except the fuel-oil was premixed in the fuel tank.
@@HenrikAndersson34 Thats true, i had 2 of this mopeds in the 70's.
I'd never heard of it either. More absolutely worthless knowledge that I can't wait to impress someone with. If I don't forget it before I can use it.
@@HenrikAndersson34 you are absolutely correct, I am an idiot, I was around dozens of 'fizzies' and had forgotten all about it, I am feeling very old
Kawasaki has been doing the rotary valve thing for quite a few years. My friends old KE100 had that same technology.
Craig: When you've got something siezed, try heating the outside as you did. Then, get a can of lighter-filler Butane. It'll freeze and shrink the piston, maybe enough to break it free. My brother had a spark plug siezed in the head of his Chrysler and the Easy Out hadn't worked. There was not much but threads left, and the ceramic was inside the cylinder. We heated the head, then used the butane to shrink what was left of the plug, and it turned out with no problem. I used the method a few times since, and it works. Never used it on a stuck piston, but I will the next time. Good luck! By the way, you and Dan make a great team. Hope your fingers heal soon!
Me and my family watch your channel religiously. The content keeps us glued to the screen and the humour and banter you and Dan bring never fails to put a smile on the wife's face. Keep up the good work guys. Sending our upmost love and support from the United Kingdom. #Everybody needs a craig 😊
I'll give credit where credit is due, and your product "commercials" are some of the best out of all the content creators I watch. Good job!
His in video ads are the only ones I don't skip. He puts a decent amount of effort into them, makes them interesting, and some are pretty funny/amusing!
@@timfagan816 Agreed. They don't even sound like commercials sometimes. Just very natural in the presentation. I am impressed.
@georgiavol1602 totally, the transitions are smooth sometimes, I don't even realize I have watched an ad until I see the discount code come up on screen! And he never shouts or makes the volume so loud. Doesn't beg for likes or subscribes either. 99% of the time, no matter how much I like a video, if they ask me to subscribe, I'll close the video.
Well except for the Temu one that resulted in the entire comments section popping off about it.
I almost can't believe it. This was me about 40 years ago trying to get a Samurai running running. It helped to have someone with a breaker bar on a spanner on the crankshaft while using the block-and-hammer technique, rather than have them stand around looking through a camera ! Got the bike running and liked it so much that I managed to get myself a Kawasaki Avenger, and then graduated to a brand-new H1A mach III ! Great memories ! Thanks !
The back and forth banter of this channel is priceless! I can’t wait for each episode. Good job guys.
Since it's a two stroke the main bearing and seal are shot so the motor will need opening. Since it's a two stroke opening the motor is common and not a very big deal.
When i was younger (15 to 17)i use to work at a junk yard in P.a and i would take all the motorcycles to the point of having over 150 bikes in my back yard. i use to keep a 55 gallon drum filled half way of diesel and when ever i would get a bike with a frozen engine i would pull the engine and stick in the drum for a week. %90 of the time it would work.
Diesel and white gas/kerosene are great for cleaning chains, too. After soaking/agitating the chain until clean, I spray chain lube between the links (non o-ring) and put it in the sun or a warm oven to let the lube wick in.
O-ring chains rob at least 1 HP, and aren't as cost effective as simply replacing conventional type when they wear.
I have been a jet engine mechanic in the service, I have scratch built more engines and changed many more than I care to think about, I am retired and the "hoods" mechanic/electrician, I am currently the Fire Chief of an entire fire department (volunteer), the only person with diesel engine repair experience, well you get the idea. BUT of all the things that you do on this station is smash fingers, walk into cabinets, drop hammers you your feet, and my all time favorite is the 2x4 with the 5 pound sledge. You make me seem so normal after 71 years - I thought only these things happen to me. OH and by the way I am 1 up on you ....9 years ago I managed to cut of 3 fingers from the last knuckle down to tip. It has not stopped me any more than it would you guys. Thanks for the video(s) and reminding me I am really normal compared to what my wife says. Have a great Memorial Weekend
I recently picked up a tool roll and it has changed my life when I need something quick to grab and go. You’re the man Craig!
i learn something new everyday.never seen one of those before.never been much for 2 strokes.but respect what they can do when they run right.like the 3 cylinder 750's.when their right.they fly.
Good call on soaking it for more time. Patience goes a long way in these situations. Can’t wait !
I came home from college the summer of 79 to work. Ended up buying a basket case '68 A7-SS, the Kawasaki 350 Avenger SS. Ended up being a lot of evenings, even with a good manual. Needed new clutch springs, managed to get them barely adjusted to just shift & kick over (slipped some both ways!). Really screamed, dug trenches with the front wheel off the ground, in 2nd & 3rd gear, even with the clutch slipping bad... Buddy offered to store it for the winter while I was back to school... Ended up being missing the next spring... Sure wish I still had that one!
That was my bike back in the 60s. I just finished reviving one this year. I you have any questions let me know.
They deliberately don't ask for, nor take advice from anyone about anything they "work" on.
Dan is the man! He freaking cracks me up. His little comments (the samurai will get ya, Greg, you're trippin) get me all the time. But, I must say his impressions of 1970' late night samurai B class movie sounds. Priceless!
Watching you beat the bejeebus out of those pistons, couldn't help but think of the Classic Octane video where he was doing the same thing to a seized Triumph (?) engine - punched a hole right through the piston crown. I don't think he was too bothered as he had a replacement engine, I think. Love the humour in your videos. Craig and Dan are the new Abbot and Costello :).
This happened to me on a twin 2 stroke once. What really helps is lifting the front wheel as much as you can so the penetrating fluid is distributed evenly across the front and back of the piston. What might have been happening with the Kawasaki is the penetrating fluid gathers towards the front, but the seizure might have been towards the rear of the piston. Hope this tip helps 😊
it's friday again, to the Bearded Mechanic Family a vrey good weekend all the way from belgium
I know by the time you see this you will already have the stuck pistons fixed but what I used to do was take the head off and I made a plate that I could run a bolt through and press the piston down that way. It's a constant pressure and a slow steady.
Craig coming in with that DAD STRENGTH 💪🏻💪🏻 , shoudve just called Greg tho.
Wow! I used to own the same bike, but 350, in 1969! It was a 68 by the way! Fast and fun! .So cool to see one again. Becoming rare these days. That bike should be out and running, not hidden away!
Mine was a blue 250. Bought new in 1967. Lot a fun.
Awesome video thanks Craig and Dan
crazy how well craig has nailed the formula here, guy who loves what he's doing, is good at his craft, he's consistently entertaining, and most importantly he seems like a genuinely nice and super knowledgeable guy. this kind of content is what youtube needs more of
The growth on the bottom foot of garage doors tell it all.
The very same '67 Samurai depicted here was the one I told my dad I would be bringing home in December '68. The price was AUD$725. I'd just finished high school and was preparing to use the bike for college commuting. I finished up with the Avenger A7 because, in nervous deference to my father, "It was only $45 dollars more expensive." Those were great stroking days - I'm 74. Thanks for the revival; memories always shine
I had an R5 (predecessor to the RD350) with frozen pistons similar to this Triumph. one was extra stuck, and it took my brother and I about 1/2 hour of solid hammering to free it. the piston came out in one piece but was completely mushroomed on the top. our arms were sore the next day.
Triumph? Hummmm? Wrong language there Clay.🤔🤨🤭
@@Keith-rk4td my bad, yeah I don't what I was smoking when I wrote that. as one of the guys used to say "get off the crack". my friend recently bought a Triumph so must've had that stuck in my head.
Neat bike. I had a '64 Yamaha 250 pre oil injection. Smoked like crazy but that sound.....wuaaaaahhhh, wuaaaaaaha as shifted through the gears was awsome.
Impact driver changed my life. I seriously don't know what I did before buying one.
I saw the title and thought "Yes! A Kawasaki rotary valve!" I currently own an F7 which isn't running and a KE100 which runs and rides. Small but reliable! Cool bike, Craig!
I had a KE100. My dad bought it for me new in 1995. It was an excellent running bike. I sold it in 2015 when I was hard up for cash.
@Chocolate_dragon mine is a 95 too. Bought it as a "mostly there" project with a title. I had previously bought a basket case that there was no way to complete so it worked out. Sorry you had to sell yours. Plenty of them are still out there if you ever want to get another one.
Dan right away smashed his fingers 😂😂
I love seeing this kind of stuff and learning about different classic bikes. Since I'm restoring a 64 Honda dream I like seeing how different other bikes are and applying some of the stuff I learn from watching you guys and it does work.
FYI, your Vessel screwdriver isn’t JIS, it’s ISO 8764-1/DIN 5260, which is designed to fit both Phillips and JIS. JIS B 4633 is what you’re looking for, and the only one I’ve found is Sunflag. I went down this rabbit hole when my Vessel screwdrivers were still stripping screw heads and I wanted to know why.
My new scooter has JIS screws on air cleaner box. It had me confounded for few days when my trusty screwdriver just would not work and started to strip the screws. Thankfully something made me stop and google about this. Turned out I needed another set of screwdrivers. Got that and things worked like a charm!
The weird thing is I got 99pence screwdriver from b&q and it fits everything
No idea why ? 😂
You dont need special screwdrivers, just use one from the bikes factory tool kit, its JIS and fits those case cover screws perfectly.
JIS B 4633 is a defunct standard, there isn't a JIS screw at this point since it was superseded by ISO 8764 so no new drivers are actually JIS, ISO 8764 was heavily influenced by the JIS standard which is reflected in how it's almost the same specification. That's why companies like Vessel and Sunflag don't claim to make JIS anymore and instead just list "Fits JIS". Also for what it's worth, Vessel was involved with the origin of the JIS screw and were the first manufacturer of JIS drivers.
I like the relaxed tone of voice. Not grating on my ears. Can continue to listen comfortably
Love the channel! Keep up the great work
Thankd for turning mre on to the Fanttik tire inflator, Greg. I ended up buying one based on this video and i love it. Not a lot of room in my life for a full size air crompessor but this will do what i need.
27:06 craig be trippin 😂😂😂
Came to leave this same comment
Yuppers, great back and forth banter for the win! Best sit-com-bike-rescue show ever! Seriously, this was absolute gold! Hammers for everyone! Oh, and I learned a ton about an amazing old bike! Go Craig and Dan, and Greg, keep moving forward!
Hi Greg I was wondering could you give me some edvice on what to do to get my 1984 Kawasaki kd80 running properly because I get it running but then I give it gas and it dies in me so what do I do?
I don't think Greg reads this.
Craig might though
Clogged main jet. Rebuild the carb.
Your determination is beyond reproach, well done for "hanging in there" - hard to criticise a video like this - well done, cannot wait to hear her running.
I’m here for the two stroke smoke 💨 😊
No doubt. There are few content creators I wish I could hang around at the periphery and watch them work. These guys are fabulous.
I died as "dan got hit with a hammer he is going outside" because I got interrupted at that and missed it. it legit felt like you knew i just got back and was filling me in. Had me rolling.
I still have the impact driver I bought to work on a Samurai just a couple of weeks ago when I was 40 years younger, then again I may have been 50 years younger. It went that well it frightened me. The fellow I sold it too, lent it to a mate of his; who lost both legs on it...
Love your vids mate! Cheers :)
I love the channel. I just hate that I spend 20 or 30 minutes watching a will it run video and don’t even find out. I just wish you would wait and put a full conclusion on the videos. They are a number of videos that has no conclusion yet.
Rob is a child of the corn. The bike shall be known as Malachi
Guy I knew who rebuild really old engines gave me a great tip for getting seized pistons moving, fill it up with really hot vegetable oil. The combination of the heat and oil is usually enough to get things moving.
Love this channel
Been there and done that many times meaning the whole soak/heat cycle. Works every time. Keep up the great work guys love the channel!
LOL love it but that power washer takes the power out of peowerwashing lol
Love ve the old trail bikes !!!!!! That is a GEM!!!! IF IT STARTS , RIGHT OFF, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING WITH THAT RARETY!
It'd be wild to see Craig actually finish a project 😮
Nice one, Craig. I really appreciate your integrity, putting the continued survival of a genuine rare old survivor over cheap likes. I really like the way the channel is maturing. Would love to meet one day, maybe next time I'm in the US.
mice malaria is a new term I've learned lol
The garden stakes are a good idea, most times wood seems to split when I'm whacking on it, best gas tank ever, and headlight.
Just want a back to back episode that matches up. Yes i get it as to why but in the yt world, all benifit more from doing so craig. 😊
That's a cool looking bike Craig. I can imagine how awesome that bike looked when it was brand new
sitting at the dealers, fresh off the boat. The tank with that cool emblem is the focal point and it's in really good condition.
Usually bikes that old are missing at least one emblem and knee pad. Kawasaki should go retro and start
using the old emblems on their new bikes...
I'm 62 years old and I still remember a lot of the older bikes, but I don't remember ever seeing one of those,
not even in a magazine. It's funny that Kawasaki used the name Samurai way back then, and years later
Suzuki used it for those little cracker box car things that they made.
when you see a video was posted 54 seconds ago
yes
Thanks for the video.... Quite inspiring... Its an amazing coincidence. My motorcycle was sitting outside for 5 years in all weather conditions. I think the moisture got in through the ports and rust caught up the cylinder wall and seized the piston.
I am also going through the same ordeal.... Piston seizure with my Yamaha 2 stroke. I tried pouring different concotions from diesel oil, 2T engine oil, castor oil, coconut oil, vinegar to large amounts of WD-40, which I am still spraying. Only, I have'nt tried the blow torch as it could flame up due to the concotions sitting inside. I am still trying with a wooden block and mallet. I'm hoping to see the piston move without breaking it.
Looking forward to your sequel.
Good Luck ! 👍😊
He is an excellent mechanic and also seems like a genuine nice guy.
I love seeing the old school engineering that went into these old bikes.
Can you give us a tool roll tour ,always end up forgetting a tool on the road and you always have it all figured out , you 2 are the best entertainment ever
That is a cool bike Craig and a great find I would have bought that one my self
Best motor channel on TH-cam!!! Thanks more making this great video's. Learning a lot and feels motivating.
Love those Suzuki Samurai bikes, nice Japanese take on a cafe racer, and when they're running, they just have a nice exhaust note.
I remember these bikes so fondly, along with its big brother, the Avenger. I'd love to see Greg restore and raffle this bike.
4:40 I love how the guy you hired to be a cameraman is being filmed by what appears to be a guy you've hired to be a cameraman
I noticed that to!
A little tip, we use in our garage. Put a few tennisballs on the levers and handlebar. Saves some headache. ;)
I have eight Yamaha two strokes plated and in service ranging from a '67 YCS1 180 Bonanza to a bought new RZ 350 and DT50/LC with a 2nd 50 bought used. Building a spare RD 6 speed with a 5 port 350 R5 top end to swap into an R5 I've had since high school in mid seventies. Also doing a spare RD400 motor with pistons/jugs lying around. That one will get new seals.
Love the wood block and the big hammer, can't tell you how many times....... Rotary valve engine, super simple and super easy to hot rod. You can make scary power by adjusting the timing and duration.
I have one of those little compressor and I used it to air up after getting off the beach last weekend and I would like to warn people to let the hose cool down before you disconnect it. I still got blisters on my fingers.
I just fell in love!! This is the bike I never knew I needed. Market place here I come!!!!!!
My 2 favorite motorcycle channels hands down. The bearded wonder and vintage. 🔥
Kawasaki also used the rotary valve on there AR125, that was a great little 125cc in the 80s here in the uk, l loved my AR125 back in 88
might add some evapo rust to your anti seize mix
Hi had a a1in 74,started to restore engine to a1/r specifications 250 road race, never finished it bugger, fantastic bike when it was running, great work mate cheers 🍻
I have a soft spot for the old rotary valve twins, and those combo-sweep instruments are just cool.
Awesome bike! I wonder if the crude oil on the rotary valves or bottom end have gummed it up? I've fixed up old rc nitro motors from the 80s and the oil will solidify over time and lock up the engine like this. The cylinders jumped up while you were hammering so we know they're somewhat loose. I'd try and heat the bottom end too, I'm not sure if it'll damage the rotary valves to heat them with a torch but I'd put the heat in that area. The bubbling when you're heating it is also an indicator of old crude oil locking it up
Oh also when you showed the rotary valve close up you could see a drop of oil on the nozzle, so it could have been dripping oil on it for who knows how long, gumming it up even more. On rc engines wd40 helps eat away that gummy substance, new fuel helps too but if you're going to heat it up you should probably not do that 😂.
I love your outlook for this old bike. Thanks for sharing
This takes me back to my first bike. 1974 Kawasaki 100cc. Same carb and oil tank setup. I didn’t have to pre-mix like my friends.
That little air compressor is a good product recommendation. That Kawasaki is a real find. Don't expect the power of the triples but they were good commuters. Getting electronic components might be a challenge but you know that.
Awesome bike!!! Will be cool to fix up. Wish they built them like that still. TY Craig, Dan, and Greg.
Great find! This bike harkens back to a time when the Japanese were trying to copy British styling, before they just completely destroyed the entire British motorcycling industry.
Well done on finding these old bikes and keeping them running! While new bikes out perform old ones by leaps and bounds, there’s just something about old bikes that’s appealing.
I rather think the British Motorcycle Industry killed itself - by not understanding that they had to keep up!
Jon you deserve the Milkwaukee! If Jess gets to go gallivanting when there's hard work to be done you're entitled to make sure your tools colour coordinate with the new whip 😊
Love this channel and brickhouse builds best channels on the tube🏴
🤘🤘
@@BrickHouseBuilds can't forget fellow countryman @shoogly shed motors
Thanks, Craig. I needed a pump for my bicycle and for my car... That was a killer deal. Amazon delivers tomorrow...
I would have put that BIG breaker bar on the end of the crank and pulled on it while hammering with the sledge. Can't wait to see it freed and running. Great video.
I like that bike! Metal is the thing. Sure plastic gets better MPGs, but look at how nice that bike looks!
Last & only time I popped the heads and cylinders off a seized two-stroke twin (a Suzuki GT500) , it was not good. With both heads off, I poked one of the pistons, the one piston moved, the other did not....sliding the one cylinder up & away...bits & pieces of 4/5 ths of the piston rained down...only 1/4 inch left of the piston top was in the barrel....the small end of the rod, "hook shaped".